STURNID^E BUPHAGA 17 



short, the second nearly as long as the third, which is the longest. 

 Tail long, broad, and wedge-shaped ; the end of each feather 

 pointed. Tarsi as long as the middle toe, strong, scutellated 

 anteriorly. Toes moderately long, strong, the lateral toes about 

 equal, the outer united at the base, the inner free. Claws much 

 compressed, curved and very acute, that of the middle toe more 

 developed than that of the hind toe. 



Only two species of this very distinct genus are known, both 

 confined to Africa. 



The Ox -peckers are of remarkable habits, obtaining nearly the 

 whole of their food, consisting of ticks and other parasites, from 

 the hides of the larger mammals, wild and domesticated ; occasion- 

 ally, when they find a sore, they eat the flesh and drink the blood 

 of the animal itself. They are of social habits, have harsh notes, 

 and are destitute of song. They perch on trees, seldom or never 

 on the ground. Their nests are built in holes of trees and buildings, 

 and they lay unspotted bluish-white eggs. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Bill more robust ; yellow at the base, red at 



the point. Inner web of tail-feathers rufous B. africana, p. 17. 



b. Bill less robust, entirely red. Inner web of 



tail-feathers dark brown B. erythrorhyncha, p. 20. 



Buphaga erythrorhyncha. 



4. Buphaga africana. Yellow-billed Ox-pecker. 



Le Pique-Bceuf, Briss. Orn. ii, p. 437, pi. 42, fig. 2 (1760) ; Levaill. Ois 

 d'Afr. ii, p. 198, pi. 97 (1800). 



Buphaga africana, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 154 (1766) ; Gray, Gen. B. 

 ii, p. 332, pi. 82 (1847) ; Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 175 (1867) ; Gurney 

 in Anderssoris B. Damara Land, p. 163 (1872) ; Holub and Pelzeln, 

 Orn. Siidafr. p. 109 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard 's B. S. Afr. pp. 418, 



2 



